Manager, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem

A. Strategic Leadership

• Lead the development and implementation of ACity’s
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation Strategy, ensuring alignment with the university’s ethos, learning pillars, and strategic plan.
• Regularly evaluate ecosystem trends (locally and globally) to update strategy and position ACity as a thought leader.
• Advise senior leadership on policies, partnerships, and investments to strengthen the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.
• Develop KPIs, performance frameworks, and long-term plans for entrepreneurship and innovation on campus.
• Oversee the MakeLab as a state-of-the-art prototyping and innovation facility, including management of equipment (3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, electronics benches, etc.), safety protocols, and training programs.
• Expand TEC’s role as a community innovation hub by fostering collaborations with industry, startups, and global makerspaces.

C. Entrepreneurial Mindset Development

• Partner with academic faculties to embed entrepreneurship and innovation modules into courses across disciplines.
• Develop and deliver entrepreneurship programs, bootcamps, and experiential workshops.
• Launch and support in the delivery of an Entrepreneurship Certification Program, tied to capstones and commercialisation pathways.

D. Innovation and Venture Development

• Design incubation and acceleration programs that nurture student, alumni, and community ventures.
• Provide support in idea validation, prototyping, business modelling, and commercialisation.
• Build structured pathways for STEM, business, and creative disciplines to turn innovations into real-world STEAM ventures.

E. Ecosystem Engagement

• Forge partnerships with industry, government, investors, accelerators, and innovation hubs.
• Facilitate mentorship, internships, and collaborative opportunities for students.
• Represent ACity in local, continental, and global entrepreneurship and innovation networks.

F. Resource Mobilisation

• Write grants and secure funding to support TEC and entrepreneurship initiatives.
• Facilitate student and alumni access to funding, competitions, and investment opportunities.
• Build revenue models for TEC programs to ensure sustainability.

G. Community and Culture Building

• Foster a vibrant, inclusive, and experimental innovation culture across campus.
• Organize innovation fairs, hackathons, demo days, and pitch competitions.
• Position ACity as a pan-African hub for creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

3. Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Business, Engineering, or related field (PhD preferred).
• At least 8 years of experience leading innovation centres, incubators, entrepreneurship programs, or higher education initiatives.
• Demonstrated success in strategy development and execution for entrepreneurship ecosystems.
• Strong background in makerspaces/innovation labs, rapid prototyping, or technology-enabled learning environments.
• Proven ability to secure funding and partnerships, with strong links to the startup ecosystem.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.

4. Reporting & Collaboration

• Reports directly to the Vice President, Academic Affairs.
• Works closely with:
  • Faculty of Business Administration & Communication Arts
  • Faculty of Engineering
  • Faculty of Computational Science & Informatics
  • Institutional Advancement and Marketing
  • Student & Community Affairs
  • Alumni Relations

5. Success Indicators

• ACity’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Strategy developed, adopted, and actively implemented.
• Vibrant TEC and MakeLab operations with high student and faculty utilisation.
• Growth in the number and success of student/alumni ventures.
• Increased external funding, grants, and partnerships.
• National and international recognition of ACity as a centre for entrepreneurship and innovation.